Nightmares Past
by raincaster
Summary: A final battle. A hero's legacy. A father's worst nightmare. And a love that can help put it all into perspective.


**AN: Just so you know, I'm picturing the MC2 universe of Spider- Girl. However, I've only read the first two digests and then reviews and plot summaries for the others. So what you read may not be in canon. And this is more of a character study on Peter then a full fledge story.**

**If you don't know the MC2 universe all you need to know is this: Peter Parker is married to Mary Jane and they were able to raise their daughter May. Peter retired his webs after he lost his leg in his final battle with Norman Osborn Sr; a battle MJ describes as "horrific." The parents decide to keep Spider-Man a secret from May. However, a teenage May finds out the truth, develops spider powers, and picks up his webs, fighting villains under the name of Spider- Girl. Her parents (understandably) have mixed feelings about this. Her villian gallery includes some of Peter's old enemies. Peter teams up with her time to time, but she can hold her own.**

**Summary: _A final battle. A hero's legacy. A father's nightmare. And a love that can help put it all into perspective._**

_Peter Parker didn't know how long this battle with Norman Osborne was going to be. He now wasn't even sure how the war even began. Something inside him though told him that this battle was the final one. He was determined to make sure Spider- Man beat the Green Goblin. Too much depended on him for him to lose. The damage around him was great, but nothing lasting. Infrastructure could be replaced. Flesh and blood could not, especially not _his_ precious bundle of flesh and blood. _

_He was tiring though, even with Kaine fighting at his side. Now it was just him holding the Norman off so that his clone could take his daughter to her mother. Peter normally wouldn't trust Kaine with that, but the father in him was desperate. His strength that was carrying him through this battle was that of a father's, not a spider's. _

_They were both now on top of one of a building roof, facing one another, observing the other through their mask. Peter barely took note of the hum his web shooters made as he activated them and prepared to launch himself at his opponent. _

_"I'd think twice if I were you, Spider- Man."_

_Norman Osborn held out a bundle of soft pink blankets squirming in front of him as a shield. No that was impossible! Kaine had had her…!_

_"Wouldn't want your dear child to end up like poor Gwen, now would you?" Norman dangled the child over the roof edge. He released his grip…_

_"MAY!" _

"Peter!"

_The boom of the bomb's explosion echoed in his ears as Peter as thrown backwards, thwarting his efforts to recover his falling daughter. The Goblin's laughter rang in victory… _

_Peter tried to get up from the pile of debris covering him. Another building destroyed. But that didn't matter. It didn't even matter that he was still alive even after the fall he had from the roof. One thing matter to him at that moment: revenge. His beautiful, innocent baby had just been killed in front of him. It didn't matter that pain shot through his body everywhere but one leg… he couldn't feel his leg. He couldn't feel his leg…_

"Peter!"

_Spider- Man heard the crack of metal and bone as the Goblin seized his wrists, crunching his web shooters and probably a bone or more. He felt the Goblin pull him out, being as rough as he possibly could. Spider-Man knew without looking at down at himself that he was beyond bloodied. He couldn't bring himself to care. He had to fight just to remain conscious. _

_"So end the Amazing Spider- Man!" the Green Goblin exclaimed with a shrill. The iconic mask was already in tatters, but Spider-Man could tell that it didn't tarnish the Goblin's excitement as the villain reached down and pulled it up. Spider-Man kept his eyes closed for a moment longer, not able to control the grief, anger, and hatred surging through him. There was only on thought on his mind: kill…_

"PETER!"

_The Spider made an attempt to lift himself up once more, causing the Goblin to laugh that shrill laugh even more. But the weak movements were the perfect guise for the Spider's retrieval of a long, lethally sharp piece of debris to his immediate left._

_"Congratulations, Osborn." The voice that came out of Peter Parker's mouth was laced with burning venom. "You win." In a sudden surge of strength, the Spider griped the makeshift knife and hurled himself forward, his aim true…_

"PETER, WAKE UP!"

Peter Parker shot up, his breathing harsh. He felt a slender, firm hand resting on his shoulder.

"Oh Peter." He allowed his wife, Mary Jane, to wrap herself around him, holding him as he got his breathing under control. He heard the door to their bedroom open, and knew without looking that it was their now sixteen year old daughter, holding her infant brother, worried about the late night cries she heard from her parents' room. But Peter wasn't totally out of his dream world quite yet…

"_Welcome back to the world of the living Pete. How do you feel?" The man slowly woke up, taken aback by the sudden bright light and the beeping echoing loudly in his ears. He saw the IV sticking out in his arm and wriggled his nose to try to adjust the tube going up his nostrils. He started to reach up to pull it out…_

"_Oh no you don't!" a hand caught his offending limb and Peter recognized the face of his long- time friend Johnny Storm. "We almost lost you! You're wife doesn't want to be a widow and your daughter needs her father!"_

_The words were the breath of air a drowning man needed. "Little May is alive…?"_

"May…"

"I'm right here, Dad. See even lil' Benjy came to say good night," the young woman sat down beside her parents and shifted the infant in her arms so that he could be seen better. Peter took note of how calm, but concerned, his two children were. Even Benjy was quiet, gazing up at his parents and reaching out. Guilt begun to sink in. It had been forever since he last had that nightmare. And it never got to the point where anyone but Mary Jane had been disturbed. Peter bit back an apology. It wasn't what his family needed from him at that moment.

He gently took his son's small hand and gave it a light squeeze. As May gave her parents a one armed hug, Peter kissed her forehead. "I'll be fine. Put Ben back to bed and get some shut eye, kiddo," Peter said, making sure his voice stayed calm, reassuring. "Night you two..."

"…Sleep tight," Mary Jane finished.

"Love you Dad. Love you Mom." He could see the concern in May's bright blue eyes. But she must have decided that it was enough, or to just simply try again in the morning, because she walked out of the room, rocking Benjy back to sleep. The parents sat still for a moment, taking in each other's presence and listening to their child's footsteps become softer and softer as she walked away.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Mary Jane finally asked.

"What happened with the Hobgoblin earlier today," Peter admitted, a slight shiver running through his body. "It probably triggered the nightmare..."

"_Spider- Girl is dead!" Peter could feel all the grief and venom rise in in him at the Hobgoblin's words…_

"Which is why both you and May need a break from web- swinging. I know it's a part of her, because it a huge part of you. And I know you miss it…"

"Not all of it," Peter countered. He idly rubbed the stub that was once his leg. "I'm a fool every time I put on those webs again…"

…_Except Peter didn't see the see the same goblin as the one that was in front of him, he saw another goblin. And that goblin wasn't announcing Spider-Girl's death, but that of his flesh and blood, of his soul…_

"Spider-Man is dead and I should just accept the fact. It's time for the next generation to take over."

"Hmmm" Mary Jane was clearly disagreeing with something with his statement. "As true as it is about it being the next generation's time, I have to say Spider-Man is still very much alive."

Peter chuckled without any true feeling. "He died with Norman Senior."

"Now hear me out on this, Tiger."

Mary Jane shifted a little so that she was nose to nose, eye to eye, with Peter. She looked right into him, her deep emerald eyes filled with passion and full of thought. "I see Spider-Man in a certain sixteen year old girl, trying to do the right thing every day. I see him in a beautiful infant, who's so curious about the world. I see him in a man who takes his responsibilities as a father very seriously." She reached out and laid her hand flat against his chest, where his heart was calmed and beating steady once more.

"I feel his heartbeat…"

Her hand moved before Peter's could join it and nimble fingers touch his lips

"… his breath…"

Smooth skin moved up along his cheekbones and Peter closed his eyes as his wife's hands cupped his face. He reached out, feeling for the back of her neck, running his hand up into fiery red hair. He felt her lips against his and he returned the chaste kiss…

"… his touch…"

Together they sunk back onto the mattress until they were resting on their sides, still holding the other.

"Spider-Man and Peter Parker are one and the same," Mary Jane concluded. "And this family will always be a part of Peter Parker, therefore a part of Spider- Man. He's still alive. _You_ are still very much alive."

Peter gave her a small, but genuine smile. "How can a guy argue with that? Let's agree to disagree."

"Hmmm" sighed Mary Jane, knowing perfectly well that her husband wasn't going to change his mind over the night.

"I am proud of May, though," Peter added, his smile growing. "Very proud."

"As am I," his wife agreed. "As am I…"

_The dreams that came were kinder now. Peter was wobbling around the housed, still getting use to his prostatic leg and wooden cane. Mary Jane had to catch him a few times, but he finally made it to little May's crib. The sight of his child only strengthened his resolved once more and he balanced himself so that he could reach down and allow her to take his fingers into her small, soft hand. His responsibilities were solely with wife and daughter now…_

_Years passed. And Peter was shooting hoops with an energetic ten year old girl, her blue eyes shining. _

_"Do you think I'd make a good ball player, Daddy?" She asked him, her short hair sticking all over the place and wide eyes hopeful. _

_"So you want to play basketball?" Peter grinned, basking in her innocence and her trust towards him. "It's a huge responsibility, being part of a team. I think you'd make an excellence ball player…"_

_More time has passed and May was now jumping of the top of that horrible bridge. His baby girl just saved him and her mother; she just outsmarted the legacy of the Green Goblin. The evidence of his own no- longer- secret legacy was taunting him in the familiar form dressed in red and blue spandex. With great power comes great responsibility…no… no…_

_May was glowing in the aftermath of her defeat of the villain Seth. Peter watched her light up even more as she looked upon her baby brother for the first time. As he saw the two together, he glanced at Mary Jane and they both agreed. She would be the best older sister there was, no one else was more loving, more responsible…_

_"We're going to talk about this later," Peter warned her as he tossed her the web shooters. It took all of his strength to stay put as May placed the shooters on her wrists and raced after the Hobgoblin. Her live appearance, as venom or not, was the breath of fresh air he needed after Kingsley had shoved her "death" into his face. And Peter was slowly starting to realize that taking care of his daughter didn't always mean hanging on to her. Part of his responsibility as a parent was knowing when to let her go…_

In his sleep, Peter held on to his wife and smiled. Maybe Spider-Man was still alive, maybe not. He did know that he, himself, was very proud of his own little spider- girl.


End file.
